17 December 2010

Sling it baby!

I'm a bit of a fan of the old baby wear.

By the time the little one comes along it should be getting cooler so it will be lovely to have all day cuddles.

There are so many ways to go about wearing your baby.

Backpack Carriers
A particular style of wrap that can be purchased in ready stitched position. The Mei Tai is one of these.
 
Pros
Good for your back
adjustable
looks nice
Can be used on front or back
Liked by Dads
Cons
Expensive (in ready made)
not as versatile 
Examples







Wraps

One long piece of cloth tied in an amazing way to keep baby in place.

Pros
Uses your whole back good support
No buckles or fastners
One size fits all
Stretchy

Cons
May be tricky to figure out how to tie.
Examples



Baby Bjorn

Ergonomic and high tech baby carrier.


Pros
Specially designed to be good for your back.
Fancy pants brand
Easy to fasten
totally hands free
Cons
More fancy pants less earthy mama
Need to make sure baby's neck is supported.

Examples
Baby Bjorn(image)




Ring Sling

A big piece of cloth with a ring in one end.

Pros 
Easy to put on and wear.
Looks pretty
Handy for breastfeeding
Adjustable

Cons
Can't use it when baby gets too big
Baby is able to wriggle round more

Examples






Which one is your favourite?
Do you use a sling?

I'd love to hear some thoughts. 

8 comments:

Bec Spires said...

My Chiro is a fan of the ergo and the cloth type wraps as they are heaps better for your back.

We used a baby bjorn with Aston but as he got bigger my shoulders got quite sore.

You also need to make sure the cloth wrap is made from the right kind of stuff, I was given a random piece of cloth at my baby shower and it was too stretchy.

If you like that kind of thing there is a brand called sleepywrap that do a cheaper version than hug-a-bub etc and work just as well. :-)

Bec Oakley said...

I have a mai tai and a wrap (both made by sister-in-law) you would be welcome to borrow while we are OS - they are both great, but I have four carriers. I am taking my babyhawk (which are the prettiest carriers ever) and ergo sport (which is Andrew's favourite cos it's nice and blokey) with me.
Let me know.

Tat said...

I;ve got a babyBjorn and an Ergo. The BabyBjorn was fine until my babies got to about 7-8 kilos, then it starts to kill your back. The Ergo has a better weight distribution, but for newborns you need to use an insert. I haven't used the insert myself, but I've heard it is fiddly.I've always wanted a ring sling, too, but never got around to getting one. If you are planning on carrying your baby long term, it is worth getting a few different carriers, so that you don't get the same musles carrying the weight the whole time.

Carey said...

So far we are gravitating towards the Ergo carrier and the Moby wrap. But of course we have no experience with both. haha Excited to read your reader's responses!

nico said...

We have 4 different slings for Calvin and they are all good in different ways! March babies are awesome for babywearing because you get so many winter snuggles.

Hug a bub got lots of use at first - C lived in it for the first 3 months. Tying it different ways makes it super versatile and easy for different situations.

Peanut shell/ring sling didn't get used much at first as C didn't like it when he was little. Around 3-4 months, when he has good neck strength, it came into its own for having him sitting upright on one hip but being hands free. Also helpful for having a nap or a feed in church! Great for running errands and keeping in the nappy bag.

Mei tai - got it when he was about 4 months. More supportive than a hug a bub for an heavier baby. Fantastic for breastfeeding and naps on the go. We still use it as a backpack carrier now (13kg). Oh so pretty!!

Ergo - were given one at 9 months. Interchangeable with the mei tai but a bit easier with the buckles. Very comfy for long periods and we use it often - it's a life saver on rainy days when I can just have us both under an umbrella rather than trying to manage a pram or walking toddler in the rain! When travelling I would take the Ergo over a pram any day.


If I was forced to choose between them, I would pick the Ergo as it's the most flexible and gives the longest amount of use (with the newborn insert). But my ultimate combo would be hug a bub for birth- 4ish months and the Ergo forever after that!

Good luck choosing... can't wait to see you with bub all snuggled up!

Libby Smith said...

We had a baby bjorn original (just the cross over back) and from the start with lil-miss-used-to-be-chunky it hurt my back. It is hard to beat the ease of use though.

When E was about 2 months old I got a beco butterfly. It's like an ergo, same weight distribution and and can be used as a back and front carrier, but it has a kind of pocket thing that the bub sits in, making it easier to get them on your back. I bought it from an american website, but i think there may now be an australian online retailer. Buying from the US made it the same cost as the ergo.

I think that if the next bub is not born in the heat of the hottest summer Sydney has seen in years, I'd go the hug-a-bub for newbies. THey love the upright position, and the weight distribution is better than a ring sling.

Anonymous said...

I heard from a nurse that some slings are bad as the neck positioning of the bub can be a problem apparently sids does not like some slings because of this?? Im sure its not all of them just though I might pass this on.

Dad said...

Slings are a cute idea but the reality of an Australian summer is they are hot and sweaty. You can't do anything while holding a baby and they kill your back. You can carry the shopping on a pram as well as the baby.

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